NEED A REMINDER?

Do you remember your first teacher? Was there a teacher in your life whose impact on you turned out to be so great that you can't help telling about it? I should have thanked my teachers more often. Now I realize it better that getting a positive feedback helps you draw inspiration for further progress and improvement.
We frequently talk about pros and cons of teaching.
Today Albina decided to invite you to take part in the discussion about one of the aspects of this profession.

SUMMER IS HERE

Summer is here. Or is it? Judging by our weather it is either late autumn or early spring. It has been snowing during the whole week. But for the calendar local people wouldn't be able to guess what season it is:)
Anyway, school is over. It is the busiest time for students of Classes 9 and 11 - time for exams.We wish them good luck and hope that they'll do their best, demonstrate their knowledge and get the best results.




How about the rest of the students? What are your plans for the summer holidays? Traveling, adventures, sightseeing, meeting new people, visiting friends and relatives.... Haven't you forgotten to include English studies in your list? Your Edmodo groups are going to work all summer. Attend them regularly and you'll be able to improve your language skills combining pleasure of entertainment and useful activities.

National Teacher Appreciation Day

People in many countries honor their educators. UNESCO declared October 5 the World Teachers' Day. There are some national holidays to celebrate  teachers' contribution to the progress of our societies. In the USA May 7 is National Teacher Day  which is Tuesday of the first full week in May - Teacher appreciation week. Students, their parents and all people want to thank teachers who made a difference in their lives. Don't they deserve it?
Find out more about different dates and ways of celebrating this holiday HERE

Easter around the World

This year Easter is celebrated in Russia on the 5th of May. Do you know why it doesn't fall on a set date every year and is observed on different days in different countries? You can find answers to these and other questions connected with this holiday if you visit www.history.com
and watch the video about Easter traditions around the world.
In the UK Easter was celebrated at the end of March. We happened to be in London during our holiday and now we'd like to share some pictures of Covent Garden beautifully decorated at this time of the year. I hope it can help you feel the atmosphere of this wonderful holiday. Happy Easter to you!
More Easter pictures

April Fool's Day

How do you feel about this special day when people play jokes? Have you ever been caught up on pranks? What are the most unusual jokes you have invented? It's funny that I always remember about this day in March, but when April, 1 comes, I forget about it.
Do you like it when teachers have fun at the lessons?

I liked this Math teacher's idea:

Happy International Day of Happiness!

What makes you happy?
Are you happy? Well, now we have an official holiday to be happy! According to the resolution of the General Assembly of the United Nations this holiday is celebrated on March, 20
Happy International Day of Happiness!
Since it's the first time the holiday is celebrated this year, there are no special traditions for it. Any ideas and suggestions? How would you like to celebrate it?

St. Valentine's Day

Watch the video about the history of this famous holiday and how it is celebrated now. What are your associations with this day?

DIGITAL LEARNING DAY

Living in the 21st century we're getting used to technology
 integrated in almost all spheres of our lives. Digital learning
 has become part of educational process. How has it
changed learners' and educators'
 lives? Are these changes positive?

I'm taking a Coursera MOOC E-Learning and Digital Cultures offered
 by the University of Edinburgh. And one of my classmates
 Madhura Pradhan created a video where students from the future
 time travel into the 21st century classroom.

Watch the video and share your impressions and ideas that it
 sparkles.

Future students by Madhura Pradhan on GoAnimate

Animated Presentations - Powered by GoAnimate.

HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING

Happy Turkey Day! When do people in America say it to each other? When and how did this holiday appear?

Watch the video about the history of Thanksgiving and find out more facts about this holiday.



What do you know about this holiday? Test your knowledge with National Geographic for kids - 
Thanksgiving Quiz

WORDS and REALITY

Election Day is an important event in political life of every country. In the United States it was held on November 6, 2012.
Here is an amazing speech about the transformation of the meaning of the word PRESIDENT. It makes us start wondering how words and reality influence each other. Who knows what interersting facts can be discovered next time when we have a closer look at common words that we use every day?

Happy Pumpkin Day?

Halloween is not a traditional holiday in our country. Some people have started celebrating it in Russia recently and they believe that it's a positive tendency to borrow holidays from different cultures. While there are people who are inclined to think that it's not a good idea and they insist on observing and preserving our national customs and traditions. Which opinion do you support? And what are your reasons?

Trick or Treat?

Halloween is round the corner. It's time to remember what you already know about this holiday and to find out something that you haven't heard before .
Watch this video from History.com and report about things that appeared new to you.

COLUMBUS DAY - A CONTROVERSIAL HOLIDAY

To Celebrate or Not
Today, Columbus Day is among the most controversial holidays in the United States. Some see Columbus as a hero, the courageous explorer whose discovery led to the settlement of North and South America. Others see him as a villain, a ruthless conqueror whose discovery led the the destruction of countless Native American people and cultures. (Quoted from http://www.theholidayzone.com/columbus/language.html) Which opinion do you support and why?

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY

If you can read this, thank your teacher!

Combining celebration and learning can be useful!

European Day of Languages on PhotoPeach

European Day of Languages

Language skills are a necessity and a right for EVERYONE - that is one of the main messages of the European Day of Languages which is celebrated on September, 26.
What is more normal for the human condition - monolingualism or plurilingualism? Why could the value of English decline in a globalised world?
If you want to answer these questions and find much more useful information,
visit the official site of the European Day of Languages
Would you like to find out your
level of language skills? Take this self-evaluation!



Have you changed your mind concerning language learning after our dicussion of the post about English mania?
What other languages
and how many would you like to learn? And why?

9/11

PATRIOT DAY                                       is observed in the United States on September, 11. But this date is remembered by people all over the world. No matter who we are and where we live, we should bare in minds the simple truth that people need cooperation to prevent such tragic events.

INTERNATIONAL LITERACY DAY

Most of us take  it for granted that we have the right to get education. And it seldom occurs to us that not all people in the world are so lucky.

  International Literacy Day was established by UNESCO in 1965 and was first celebrated on September 8, 1966. 

Why should we care about equal chances for everybody to get free access to education? Why is it so important in the 21st century? Watch the video and learn about the efforts that are made by the world community to promote literacy.

LABOR DAY

On the first Monday in September there is a Federal holiday in the USA - Labor Day. Watch the video and find out more facts about the history of this holiday, the events and personalities that made a great contribution to the movement of the working class. If you watch carefully, you can easily answer the questions:
What was the first state that officially recognized this holiday? When did it happen?

KNOWLEDGE DAY

In Russia The National Day of Knowledge is celebrated on 1st of September to mark the end of summer holidays and the beginning of a new school year. It isn't simply the day when school starts. It's also one more opportunity to remind people about the importance of knowledge in our life.